What noises are they today tonight whose
footsteps which train that dog barking who
now laughs is it the trees shaking their bellies
thundering their fruit even when I am outside I
am inside scratching at the pith documenting
the days the drafts executing the graffiti
crossing off the years oh for that Emily
conflagration 1000 productions in six years
even that one year with that 366 I could do it I
have the ideas the small leaves even the
shadows cast on the walls the lit up roads but I
will have to go above your head give me a
stepladder I climb the rungs You rung me
wrung me out lay like a crocodile waiting in
low water for fish to arrive horny backs
separating the rush mouths wide in
anticipation I eat myself She said your life will
go in phases This one I realized would soon
enough come to an end and now I can add over
time you may get a re-run a second go another
chance at a chapter a new bone Tonight a
woman didn’t check her flush the nasturtium-
bloomed paper a foetal curl The palm of my
right hand is beefy I haven’t noticed this before
or is it a change I ride between trees through
spider draglines they bind my forehead the orb
weaver at work on my mask
Lizz Murphy has published 12 books. Her seven poetry titles include Portraits and Six Hundred Dollars (PressPress), Walk the Wildly (Picaro Press), Stop Your Cryin (Island) and Two Lips Went Shopping (Spinifex Press: print & e-book). Lizz’ public art project Poetry: The Indelible Stencil – in partnership with Southern Tablelands Arts (STARTS) – is gradually coming together. Her awards include the Rosemary Dobson Poetry Prize (co-winner 2011). She lives in Binalong NSW.